More than 500,000 people have returned to the northern Gaza Strip since cease-fire | LIVE

We are wrapping up our live blog for today.

Good night and see you tomorrow for more rolling coverage of news in Lebanon, Gaza, the region and beyond. 🛑 🎞️🎥

No US troops to enter Gaza

The head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says no U.S. troops will be deployed to Gaza as 200 soldiers are set to arrive in Israel to monitor the cease-fire.

In a statement on X, Admiral Brad Cooper said he just returned from Gaza to understand how to establish a “CENTCOM-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC)” to connect activities to support “post-conflict stabilisation”.

“This great effort will be achieved with no U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza,” Cooper wrote.

South Lebanon wrap-up: Residential house and construction infrastructure destroyed.

➡️ Read our south Lebanon wrap-up here.

Macron set to visit Egypt

Macron to travel to Egypt on Monday to support the "implementation" of the agreement between Israel and Hamas, reports AFP.

Macron will take this opportunity to "discuss with his partners the next steps in implementing the peace plan," the French presidency explained, without specifying whether he would meet with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, who also plans to visit Egypt.

Erdogan calls on Israel to stand behind its pledge

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country will support any initiative “that will permanently stop massacres, genocide that has been going on in Gaza for the last two years," according to Al Jazeera.

In an address in the Turkish province of Rize, Erdogan expressed hope the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas would lead to lasting peace, calm and security in Gaza and the rest of Palestinian territory.

“Israel must stand behind its pledge. It must end its aggressive policies that pose a threat to the region and the security of its citizens,” he said.

Hamas official: Group's disarmament 'out of the question'

The disarmament of Hamas, part of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, is "out of the question," an official in the party told AFP on Saturday.

"The proposed surrender of weapons is out of the question and non-negotiable," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, another Hamas official, Bassem Naim, said in an interview on SkyNews that they did not intend to surrender all their weapons, but that they would be integrated into a potential Palestinian army.

Strikes on Msayleh: What matters is our presence alongside the residents, says Hajjar

Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar and Labor Minister Mohamad Haidar also visited the site of the Israeli airstrikes in Msayleh, accompanied by Amal Movement MP Hani Kobeissi, according to the official National News Agency (NNA).

During the visit, Hajjar stressed that "what matters is our presence alongside the residents of the south. As a government, we will do whatever is necessary to ensure the protection of citizens and preserve their security and stability." He further emphasized that "all Lebanese are behind the army."

Kobeissi, for his part, praised the government's "honorable position," "which shows that we are united in the face of aggression." The nighttime bombings targeted equipment "that would have been used for the reconstruction of the south, which Israel does not want," he added.

As for Haidar, who represents Hezbollah's share in the cabinet, he stressed the importance of unity "in the face of this enemy that attacks innocent people."

Victim of Israel strike in Bint Jbeil identified

According to information from our correspondent, the victim of the strike on a car between Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh (Bint Jbeil) was named Ali Hussein Sultan and was originally from Saouane.

An Israeli drone strike targeted a bulldozer in Blida, according to our correspondent.

Gaza: No US deployment, US military chief reiterates

The new head of the U.S. military command for the Middle East (Centcom), Brad Cooper, announced on Saturday that he had visited Gaza to discuss stabilizing the situation, assuring that no U.S. troops would be deployed on Palestinian territory, AFP reports.

Cooper said on X that he had just returned from a visit to Gaza to discuss the creation of a "civilian-military coordination center" run by Centcom, which "will support the stabilization of the conflict."

A senior U.S. official said on Thursday that 200 US military personnel would be mobilized to "supervise" and "observe" the implementation of the Gaza agreement.

Demonstrators from the Palestine Coalition gather in support for Palestinians, after a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect, in London. (Photo credit: Jaimi Joy/Reuters)

Gaza: Civil Defense estimates that around 250,000 displaced persons have returned to the north of the enclave

The Civil Defense estimates that around 250,000 displaced persons have returned to the north of the Gaza Strip (including Gaza City) in the 24 hours since the cease-fire came into effect on Friday, reports AFP. The international agency reports that residents are discovering "the extent of the destruction caused by two years of war."

"I don't know what to say, what I see is stronger than any words ... Destruction, destruction, and more destruction," a resident returning to Gaza City, where the Israeli army launched a major offensive last month, told AFP.

Meanwhile, across the enclave, rescue workers continue to search the rubble for bodies after Israeli troops withdrew behind the agreed lines inside Palestinian territory as part of the ceasefire.

➡️ Read more on this story here.

Drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon: Driver succumbs to injuries

The driver of the car targeted by an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, between Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh (Bint Jbeil), has succumbed to his injuries, according to sources cited by our correspondent.

Hezbollah condemns US-backed Israeli aggression

Hezbollah condemned the Israeli attack at dawn today on Msayleh "which caused civilian casualties and significant damage to property and livelihoods. This assault is part of Israel’s ongoing and deliberate targeting of civilians and economic infrastructure to disrupt normal life."

The party said in a statement that "the continued aggression reflects Israel’s arrogance and criminal behavior, carried out under international silence and full U.S. backing."

Hezbollah called on the Lebanese state to "take a firm stance, intensify diplomatic efforts, and submit an urgent complaint to the U.N. Security Council to halt Israeli violations."

The statement affirmed that "such aggression cannot go unanswered and urges the state to fulfill its responsibility in protecting its people."

Photo sent by our south Lebanon correspondent Muntasser Abdallah

South Lebanon: 1 seriously injured in latest Israeli drone strike

An Israeli drone missile targeted a car between the towns of Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent in the south. One person was seriously injured in the strike. Images sent to our correspondent show the targeted car burned out.

Forcibly displaced Palestinians return north

Palestinians making the "V" for victory sign as they pass through the 'Netzarim corridor' in the center of the Gaza Strip on their way back north.

Truce agreement: Palestinian political prisoners to be released transferred to two other prisons

Prior to the exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas, as part of the truce agreement that came into effect yesterday, Israeli authorities transferred Palestinian prisoners to be released to Ofer and Ketziot prisons, Haaretz reported.

Prisoners to be released in the West Bank were transferred to Ofer prison, while those to be released in the Gaza Strip or Egypt were transferred to Ketziot, according to the Israeli media outlet.

Rasamny visits Msayleh; denounces 'attack aimed 100 percent at a civilian institution'

Lebanese Minister of Public Works Fayez Rasamny, accompanied by MP Qassem Hashem, visited the site of the Israeli airstrikes in Msayleh, to inspected the extent of the damage.

Rasamny stressed that what had happened was "an attack targeting 100 percent a civilian institution," explaining that the owners of the targeted vehicles "cooperate regularly with the Ministry of Public Works." The ministry "depends on these vehicles for its operations," he added.

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Gaza: Humanitarian organizations 'ready' to deliver more aid, but fear logistical difficulties

In the wake of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza, humanitarian organizations say they are "ready" to massively expand their operations in the Palestinian enclave, parts of which are facing famine according to the U.N., but fear logistical difficulties, reports AFP, having surveyed various NGOs.

The U.N. Office for Humanitarian Affairs also said it had received Israeli approval for 170,000 tons of aid and had a humanitarian response plan for the first 60 days of the truce. "But there is an urgent need for the most basic necessities in Gaza: Medical equipment, medicine, food, water, fuel and adequate shelter for two million people who will have to face winter without a roof over their heads," notes an official from Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

"The difficulty we have now is one of access," said Antoine Renard, director of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Palestinian Territories, speaking from Deir al-Balah in the center of the Gaza Strip.

Strikes on Msayleh in southern Lebanon: Berri condemns the 'attack against Lebanon and all its inhabitants'

In a statement, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has a residence a few hundred meters from the targeted site, stressed that the Israeli bombing of Msayleh overnight "will not change our convictions and principles, nor those of our people, who, once again, are paying with their lives, their homes, and their livelihoods for their attachment to their land and their legitimate right to a dignified life."

"As always, this is not an attack against Msayleh, its inhabitants and the owners of the industries located there, but an attack against Lebanon and all its inhabitants," he added, calling for unity among the Lebanese in the face of these attacks.

➡️ Read more on the Msayleh strikes in our latest south Lebanon wrap-up here.

Occupied West Bank: 25-year-old Palestinian killed by Israeli army in Jenin

Local sources, quoted on Friday by the Palestinian news agency Wafa, reported that an Israeli military force had carried out "a raid in several neighborhoods of Jenin, opened fire on residents and shot dead a young Palestinian," identified as 25-year-old Mohammad Adnan Salame.

A 15-year-old teenager was also wounded by bullet fragments and transferred to a hospital by Palestinian Red Crescent teams, the agency added.

Israel has killed 50 Palestinians and destroyed more than 600 homes since the start of its offensive on the northern West Bank city of Jenin on Jan. 21.

Israeli stun grenades on Kfar Kila

An Israeli drone fired a stun grenade near the border village of Kfar Kila (Marjayoun). No injuries reported, according to our correspondent in the south.

Qatar authorized to build military facility on U.S. air base

The United States and Qatar have signed an agreement allowing Doha to build a facility to house F-15 fighter jets and pilots at an air base in Idaho, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced yesterday, Friday, from the Pentagon, according to AFP.

This facility "will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to strengthen our joint training," said Hegseth, alongside Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The announcement comes shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order promising to defend the Gulf state against attacks, in the wake of Israeli airstrikes targeting a Hamas delegation in Doha in early September.

South Lebanon: Israeli bombs destroy house; drones violate airspace

In addition, in the morning, an Israeli quadcopter drone dropped several bombs on a house in the center of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), completely destroying it, according to our southern Lebanon correspondent.

Israeli drones have been flying over Beirut and its southern suburbs, as well as the Zahrani region in the south, since this morning.

Aftermath of overnight Israeli strikes on Msayleh, southern Lebanon. (Photo by Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient Today)

One killed in Israeli strikes overnight in southern Lebanon

A Syrian national was killed overnight in massive strikes carried out by the Israeli air force in Msayleh, on the road between Zahrani and Nabatieh, according to information from our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes, which came after the cease-fire in Gaza and while a truce has been in effect in Lebanon since late November, saying they pose a series of "challenges" for the country.

UNRWA calls on Israel to reverse its ban on humanitarian aid entering Gaza

In a video posted on X, the spokesperson for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Juliette Touma, reiterated that the organization "has enough food to feed the entire population of Gaza for three months," calling for this aid to be allowed back into the enclave."

This is absolutely essential to limit the spread of famine, which has been confirmed in Gaza City," said Touma. "UNRWA's vital aid, particularly food, is desperately needed in Gaza. It must be allowed in," she added, calling for the "lifting of the ban" imposed by Israel to "reverse the famine. "

In October 2024, the Israeli parliament banned UNRWA operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and occupied East Jerusalem.

Trump says he is confident that cease-fire in Gaza will 'hold' and lead to broader peace in the region

Donald Trump said he is confident that the cease-fire that took effect Friday in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas will "hold." "I think it will hold, yes. They are all tired of fighting," the U.S. president told reporters in the Oval Office, reaffirming his intention to travel to Israel this weekend, where he is scheduled to address the Knesset, and to Egypt, according to AFP.

He said he would meet with "many leaders" in Egypt on Monday to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip, devastated by two years of war, adding that the meeting would likely be held in Cairo. He said he would also address the Israeli Parliament during his visit to the country earlier in the day.

Trump reiterated his confidence that the cease-fire in Gaza would lead to broader peace in the Middle East. "We currently have a few small hot spots, but they are very small ... They will be very easy to put out. These fires will be brought under control very quickly," he added.

Hamas official says the group will 'hand over its weapons to the future Palestinian army'

Hamas official Bassem Naim has said that the group will not completely disarm, but will hand over its weapons to a future Palestinian army.

In an interview with Sky News, Naim emphasized that this future army of a Palestinian state "will include members" of the group. "No one has the right to deny us the right to resist the occupation," he added.

Hello and welcome to our live blog, where will be covering events in Lebanon, Gaza, occupied Palestine, the region and beyond.

We will be looking closely at the US-brokered cease-fire agreement that has taken effect in Gaza after days of negotiations this week in Egypt. Despite reports of continued Israeli strikes, the first phase of the agreement is underway, with preparations for a hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Strip, allowing for Palestinians forcibly displaced in the south of the enclave to return to a ravaged and largely destroyed north.

Meanwhile in Lebanon, Israel continues to strike parts of southern Lebanon despite the cease-fire agreement that was reached between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024.

We are wrapping up our live blog for today.

Good night and see you tomorrow for more rolling coverage of news in Lebanon, Gaza, the region and beyond. 🛑 🎞️🎥

No US troops to enter Gaza

The head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says no U.S. troops will be deployed to Gaza as 200 soldiers are set to arrive in Israel to monitor the cease-fire.

In a statement on X, Admiral Brad Cooper said he just returned from Gaza to understand how to establish a “CENTCOM-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC)” to connect activities to support “post-conflict stabilisation”.

“This great effort will be achieved with no U.S. boots on the ground in Gaza,” Cooper wrote.

South Lebanon wrap-up: Residential house and construction infrastructure destroyed.

➡️ Read our south Lebanon wrap-up here.

Macron set to visit Egypt

Macron to travel to Egypt on Monday to support the "implementation" of the agreement between Israel and Hamas, reports AFP.

Macron will take this opportunity to "discuss with his partners the next steps in implementing the peace plan," the French presidency explained, without specifying whether he would meet with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, who also plans to visit Egypt.

Erdogan calls on Israel to stand behind its pledge

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country will support any initiative “that will permanently stop massacres, genocide that has been going on in Gaza for the last two years," according to Al Jazeera.

In an address in the Turkish province of Rize, Erdogan expressed hope the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas would lead to lasting peace, calm and security in Gaza and the rest of Palestinian territory.

“Israel must stand behind its pledge. It must end its aggressive policies that pose a threat to the region and the security of its citizens,” he said.

Hamas official: Group's disarmament 'out of the question'

The disarmament of Hamas, part of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, is "out of the question," an official in the party told AFP on Saturday.

"The proposed surrender of weapons is out of the question and non-negotiable," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, another Hamas official, Bassem Naim, said in an interview on SkyNews that they did not intend to surrender all their weapons, but that they would be integrated into a potential Palestinian army.

Strikes on Msayleh: What matters is our presence alongside the residents, says Hajjar

Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar and Labor Minister Mohamad Haidar also visited the site of the Israeli airstrikes in Msayleh, accompanied by Amal Movement MP Hani Kobeissi, according to the official National News Agency (NNA).

During the visit, Hajjar stressed that "what matters is our presence alongside the residents of the south. As a government, we will do whatever is necessary to ensure the protection of citizens and preserve their security and stability." He further emphasized that "all Lebanese are behind the army."

Kobeissi, for his part, praised the government's "honorable position," "which shows that we are united in the face of aggression." The nighttime bombings targeted equipment "that would have been used for the reconstruction of the south, which Israel does not want," he added.

As for Haidar, who represents Hezbollah's share in the cabinet, he stressed the importance of unity "in the face of this enemy that attacks innocent people."

Victim of Israel strike in Bint Jbeil identified

According to information from our correspondent, the victim of the strike on a car between Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh (Bint Jbeil) was named Ali Hussein Sultan and was originally from Saouane.

An Israeli drone strike targeted a bulldozer in Blida, according to our correspondent.

Gaza: No US deployment, US military chief reiterates

The new head of the U.S. military command for the Middle East (Centcom), Brad Cooper, announced on Saturday that he had visited Gaza to discuss stabilizing the situation, assuring that no U.S. troops would be deployed on Palestinian territory, AFP reports.

Cooper said on X that he had just returned from a visit to Gaza to discuss the creation of a "civilian-military coordination center" run by Centcom, which "will support the stabilization of the conflict."

A senior U.S. official said on Thursday that 200 US military personnel would be mobilized to "supervise" and "observe" the implementation of the Gaza agreement.

Demonstrators from the Palestine Coalition gather in support for Palestinians, after a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect, in London. (Photo credit: Jaimi Joy/Reuters)

Gaza: Civil Defense estimates that around 250,000 displaced persons have returned to the north of the enclave

The Civil Defense estimates that around 250,000 displaced persons have returned to the north of the Gaza Strip (including Gaza City) in the 24 hours since the cease-fire came into effect on Friday, reports AFP. The international agency reports that residents are discovering "the extent of the destruction caused by two years of war."

"I don't know what to say, what I see is stronger than any words ... Destruction, destruction, and more destruction," a resident returning to Gaza City, where the Israeli army launched a major offensive last month, told AFP.

Meanwhile, across the enclave, rescue workers continue to search the rubble for bodies after Israeli troops withdrew behind the agreed lines inside Palestinian territory as part of the ceasefire.

➡️ Read more on this story here.

Drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon: Driver succumbs to injuries

The driver of the car targeted by an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon, between Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh (Bint Jbeil), has succumbed to his injuries, according to sources cited by our correspondent.

Hezbollah condemns US-backed Israeli aggression

Hezbollah condemned the Israeli attack at dawn today on Msayleh "which caused civilian casualties and significant damage to property and livelihoods. This assault is part of Israel’s ongoing and deliberate targeting of civilians and economic infrastructure to disrupt normal life."

The party said in a statement that "the continued aggression reflects Israel’s arrogance and criminal behavior, carried out under international silence and full U.S. backing."

Hezbollah called on the Lebanese state to "take a firm stance, intensify diplomatic efforts, and submit an urgent complaint to the U.N. Security Council to halt Israeli violations."

The statement affirmed that "such aggression cannot go unanswered and urges the state to fulfill its responsibility in protecting its people."

Photo sent by our south Lebanon correspondent Muntasser Abdallah

South Lebanon: 1 seriously injured in latest Israeli drone strike

An Israeli drone missile targeted a car between the towns of Khirbet Silm and Qalawieh (Bint Jbeil), according to our correspondent in the south. One person was seriously injured in the strike. Images sent to our correspondent show the targeted car burned out.

Forcibly displaced Palestinians return north

Palestinians making the "V" for victory sign as they pass through the 'Netzarim corridor' in the center of the Gaza Strip on their way back north.

Truce agreement: Palestinian political prisoners to be released transferred to two other prisons

Prior to the exchange of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas, as part of the truce agreement that came into effect yesterday, Israeli authorities transferred Palestinian prisoners to be released to Ofer and Ketziot prisons, Haaretz reported.

Prisoners to be released in the West Bank were transferred to Ofer prison, while those to be released in the Gaza Strip or Egypt were transferred to Ketziot, according to the Israeli media outlet.

Rasamny visits Msayleh; denounces 'attack aimed 100 percent at a civilian institution'

Lebanese Minister of Public Works Fayez Rasamny, accompanied by MP Qassem Hashem, visited the site of the Israeli airstrikes in Msayleh, to inspected the extent of the damage.

Rasamny stressed that what had happened was "an attack targeting 100 percent a civilian institution," explaining that the owners of the targeted vehicles "cooperate regularly with the Ministry of Public Works." The ministry "depends on these vehicles for its operations," he added.

Join our new and improved WhatsApp channel to receive curated news updates

Dear readers,

We invite you to follow L'Orient Today’s new and improved WhatsApp channel!

🚨 On this channel, we will send you alerts about major developments in Lebanese and regional news...

📸🖊️ As well as our best reports, editorials and analyses...

🍽️ ... And also articles on art, culture, fashion and local cuisine.

Two tips 💡to get the most out of this channel:

1) Enable notifications manually by clicking on the bell 🔔 at the top right of the page (notifications are otherwise usually disabled, i.e., marked 🔕).

2) If you'd like the information to appear directly on your phone screen, enable the "show preview" option in the WhatsApp app settings, in the notifications section.

Feel free to share the link to join the L'Orient Today channel with others here: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBvSe7IN9iuEn934x08

Gaza: Humanitarian organizations 'ready' to deliver more aid, but fear logistical difficulties

In the wake of the cease-fire agreement in Gaza, humanitarian organizations say they are "ready" to massively expand their operations in the Palestinian enclave, parts of which are facing famine according to the U.N., but fear logistical difficulties, reports AFP, having surveyed various NGOs.

The U.N. Office for Humanitarian Affairs also said it had received Israeli approval for 170,000 tons of aid and had a humanitarian response plan for the first 60 days of the truce. "But there is an urgent need for the most basic necessities in Gaza: Medical equipment, medicine, food, water, fuel and adequate shelter for two million people who will have to face winter without a roof over their heads," notes an official from Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

"The difficulty we have now is one of access," said Antoine Renard, director of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Palestinian Territories, speaking from Deir al-Balah in the center of the Gaza Strip.

Strikes on Msayleh in southern Lebanon: Berri condemns the 'attack against Lebanon and all its inhabitants'

In a statement, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has a residence a few hundred meters from the targeted site, stressed that the Israeli bombing of Msayleh overnight "will not change our convictions and principles, nor those of our people, who, once again, are paying with their lives, their homes, and their livelihoods for their attachment to their land and their legitimate right to a dignified life."

"As always, this is not an attack against Msayleh, its inhabitants and the owners of the industries located there, but an attack against Lebanon and all its inhabitants," he added, calling for unity among the Lebanese in the face of these attacks.

➡️ Read more on the Msayleh strikes in our latest south Lebanon wrap-up here.

Occupied West Bank: 25-year-old Palestinian killed by Israeli army in Jenin

Local sources, quoted on Friday by the Palestinian news agency Wafa, reported that an Israeli military force had carried out "a raid in several neighborhoods of Jenin, opened fire on residents and shot dead a young Palestinian," identified as 25-year-old Mohammad Adnan Salame.

A 15-year-old teenager was also wounded by bullet fragments and transferred to a hospital by Palestinian Red Crescent teams, the agency added.

Israel has killed 50 Palestinians and destroyed more than 600 homes since the start of its offensive on the northern West Bank city of Jenin on Jan. 21.

Israeli stun grenades on Kfar Kila

An Israeli drone fired a stun grenade near the border village of Kfar Kila (Marjayoun). No injuries reported, according to our correspondent in the south.

Qatar authorized to build military facility on U.S. air base

The United States and Qatar have signed an agreement allowing Doha to build a facility to house F-15 fighter jets and pilots at an air base in Idaho, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced yesterday, Friday, from the Pentagon, according to AFP.

This facility "will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to strengthen our joint training," said Hegseth, alongside Qatari Defense Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The announcement comes shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order promising to defend the Gulf state against attacks, in the wake of Israeli airstrikes targeting a Hamas delegation in Doha in early September.

South Lebanon: Israeli bombs destroy house; drones violate airspace

In addition, in the morning, an Israeli quadcopter drone dropped several bombs on a house in the center of Aita al-Shaab (Bint Jbeil), completely destroying it, according to our southern Lebanon correspondent.

Israeli drones have been flying over Beirut and its southern suburbs, as well as the Zahrani region in the south, since this morning.

Aftermath of overnight Israeli strikes on Msayleh, southern Lebanon. (Photo by Mohammad Yassine/L'Orient Today)

One killed in Israeli strikes overnight in southern Lebanon

A Syrian national was killed overnight in massive strikes carried out by the Israeli air force in Msayleh, on the road between Zahrani and Nabatieh, according to information from our correspondent in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strikes, which came after the cease-fire in Gaza and while a truce has been in effect in Lebanon since late November, saying they pose a series of "challenges" for the country.

UNRWA calls on Israel to reverse its ban on humanitarian aid entering Gaza

In a video posted on X, the spokesperson for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Juliette Touma, reiterated that the organization "has enough food to feed the entire population of Gaza for three months," calling for this aid to be allowed back into the enclave."

This is absolutely essential to limit the spread of famine, which has been confirmed in Gaza City," said Touma. "UNRWA's vital aid, particularly food, is desperately needed in Gaza. It must be allowed in," she added, calling for the "lifting of the ban" imposed by Israel to "reverse the famine. "

In October 2024, the Israeli parliament banned UNRWA operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and occupied East Jerusalem.

Trump says he is confident that cease-fire in Gaza will 'hold' and lead to broader peace in the region

Donald Trump said he is confident that the cease-fire that took effect Friday in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas will "hold." "I think it will hold, yes. They are all tired of fighting," the U.S. president told reporters in the Oval Office, reaffirming his intention to travel to Israel this weekend, where he is scheduled to address the Knesset, and to Egypt, according to AFP.

He said he would meet with "many leaders" in Egypt on Monday to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip, devastated by two years of war, adding that the meeting would likely be held in Cairo. He said he would also address the Israeli Parliament during his visit to the country earlier in the day.

Trump reiterated his confidence that the cease-fire in Gaza would lead to broader peace in the Middle East. "We currently have a few small hot spots, but they are very small ... They will be very easy to put out. These fires will be brought under control very quickly," he added.

Hamas official says the group will 'hand over its weapons to the future Palestinian army'

Hamas official Bassem Naim has said that the group will not completely disarm, but will hand over its weapons to a future Palestinian army.

In an interview with Sky News, Naim emphasized that this future army of a Palestinian state "will include members" of the group. "No one has the right to deny us the right to resist the occupation," he added.

Hello and welcome to our live blog, where will be covering events in Lebanon, Gaza, occupied Palestine, the region and beyond.

We will be looking closely at the US-brokered cease-fire agreement that has taken effect in Gaza after days of negotiations this week in Egypt. Despite reports of continued Israeli strikes, the first phase of the agreement is underway, with preparations for a hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Strip, allowing for Palestinians forcibly displaced in the south of the enclave to return to a ravaged and largely destroyed north.

Meanwhile in Lebanon, Israel continues to strike parts of southern Lebanon despite the cease-fire agreement that was reached between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024.